Roadway



A. BLISS.

ROADWAY.

(No Model.

No. 573,757. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABEL BLISS, OF NEIV LENOX, ILLINOIS.

ROADWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,757, dated December22, 1896.

Application filed March 28, 1896. Serial No. 584,568. No model.)

Figure 1 represents a cross-section of the" roadway and of its metaltracks for vehicles,

and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the metal railsand showing the ends of two sections of a rail connected by a fishplatehaving inclined lateral flanges.

This invention relates to certain improvements in roadways, intendedmore particularly for use in suburban and country dis- 2o tricts, whichimprovements are fully set forth and explained in the followingspecification -and claims.

Referring to the drawings, R represents a metal plate forming a rail fora vehicle and 2 5 having downwardly-projecting flanges along each sidefor projecting into the earth, which flanges give great supportingstrength to the track R, and also prevent lateral movement of the rail.It is intended that the space be- 0 tween the flanges B shall be filledwith earth, which forms a solid bed and support for the rail and whichis prevented from being crushed and spread laterally by means of saidflanges. The face of the rail B. may, if desired, be provided with amoderate -sized flange, as shown at a, along its outer edge forpreventing vehicles from running oif the track, but the rail may be ofsufficient width so wheels of vehicles will not easily run off 0 toeither side as long as the team or animal attached to the vehicle doesnot step outside of the rails. It is intended to first make the It isintended to pave or gravel the roadway between the rails, as shown inFig. l at P, thus forming a good permanent roadway for animals to travelupon, or it may not be paved or graveled in such place in case carshaving other than animal power for their propulsion is used.

The ends of the rail-sections may be connected, as shown in Fig. 2, bymeans of a fishplate having inclined laterally extending flanges D,whichflanges may operate as wheelreplacers should a wheel run 01f the rails.

Such track construction is intended to be used on country roads composedof ordinary soil where the expense of paving, macadamizing, or gravelingthe entire Width of the roadway would be too great, and can be laid onone side of the road, leaving the remainder of the road in its naturalstate for use when not wet weather. The downwardlyprojecting flangesserve to retain the earth between them for a support to the rail bypreventing the lat- 7o eral crushing out of the earth between them, theearth becoming more compact by being retained between the flanges. Ifdesired, the two rails might be connected by means of cross-rods formore thoroughly preventing their spreading, but ordinarily suchcross-tie rods will not be needed.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows: 5 8o 1. A rail for roadwayscomprising the horizontal or flat portion R having the two dependingparallel flanges B adapted to be set into the earth, in combination withthe fishplate for connecting the ends of two rails and having theinclined laterally-extending flanges D all arranged to operatesubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A rail for roadways comprising the horizontal or flat portion Rhaving the two depending flanges 13 adapted to be set into the earth andhaving lateral projections or flanges for replacing wheels on the railsubstantially as set forth.

ABEL BLISS. IVitnesses:

Tnos. H. HUTCHINS, L. B. HUTCHINS.

